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An Unreal Reality?
July 07, 2004
When was the last time you looked at the long term effects of stress in your life?
Most professionals (myself included) long ago developed some fairly advanced coping skills for dealing with stress. And, some of those coping skills were perhaps more healthier than others!
As dentists, some of us faced real stress for the first time in dental school. For others, it may have been a family illness or death, divorce, unemployment, or any number of other stress-causing life occurrences. More commonly, it just may be the daily stress of going to a job we don't really have passion for, or being in a marriage relationship that isn't supportive, nurturing, and loving.
Having great coping skills can sometimes mask the underlying stress which is slowly eroding your health, happiness, and experience of life.
Having great coping skills is not the same as making changes in your life so the stress won't occur. Developing better coping skills is only a temporary fix.
Sure, we're told that stress is necessary, but to what extent? When is enough, enough? Being the strong-willed person I am, I've overcome adversity, major disasters, criticism, and chaos many times, and I've not once buckled. In fact, I kept telling myself I was stronger than whatever could come my way. (I'm not exactly proud of that, either.)
In an age of taking a pill for this or that, drug and alcohol use/abuse, and an overwhelming obsession with comfort, have we lost our ability to say no, to accept our limitations (or others' limitations), to take care of our bodies in a healthful way, both physically and emotionally/spiritually? Are we supplementing our advanced coping skills with diversionary tactics to create a reality that is essentially unreal? Are we just kidding ourselves?
The courage to look at our life openly and honestly, to identify the real sources of your stress, and to eliminate those stressors is incredible. For each of us, being able to look at ourselves in a completely honest way can be difficult, challenging, and even overwhelming.
Take the time now to look at your life and the stresses you bear. Just knowing what's working and what's not in your life will help you become aware of what needs your attention and what doesn't. You'll naturally begin making different choices, which will lead to a happier, healthier life.
Coaching point: What's causing you stress? Today, are you willing to eliminate stressors affecting your health, happiness, and experience of life?
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